Surfing Waves

In my new break, there's a lot of good surfers and there are some exceptionally good surfer. Yesterday I was paddling out and I saw this person on the wave. I'm 100% sure it was going to close out. He was on a big longboard and he was very deep. There was no way he is going to make it. In this case, normally what I see surfers will do is that they will go up and down the wave to generate more speed and then the wave will close on top of them. However that's not what he did. He started stepping forward and trim down the line, he was picking up speed so fast and made it out then he walked all the way to the nose of the board and hang 10. I couldn't believe what I saw.

Nearly all the surfers in this break can hang 5 or at least cross step. However most of them are just gliding through the waves and staying in the pocket. I guess this is how they enjoy nose riding? As long as they stay in the pocket or catch it at the correct spot, they don't need to generate speed?

My question is, how are some surfers able to generate so much speed vs others who are just riding it. Is it the board, fins, skills or is it a choice? The ones that aren't generating the speed and doing cutback are just enjoying nose riding + cross stepping?

BaNZ wrote:My question is, how are some surfers able to generate so much speed vs others who are just riding it. Is it the board, fins, skills or is it a choice?

"Surfing to Targets" by Ru Hill really helped me!

BaNZ wrote:My question is, how are some surfers able to generate so much speed vs others who are just riding it. Is it the board, fins, skills or is it a choice?

You're maybe be too young to remember this Nike commercial. But you might be thinking along the lines as Mars Blackmon. It's Gotta be the board !?!

Some waves require speed generating some don't. That surfer knew what was needed and how to accomplish it with the board under his feet. My guess is skill and knowledge were at play mostly. There are some boards that are faster than others but a surfer who knows how can generate speed with most boards.

Board may come in as a factor if we are talking about a low 7' PU/PE vs. a waterlogged 8' foamie <-- on the latter, I feel a lot of speed that comes for free with little movement. But yeah I think in this case the equipment is not as drastic a factor

BaNZ wrote: However that's not what he did. He started stepping forward and trim down the line, he was picking up speed so fast and made it out then he walked all the way to the nose of the board and hang 10. I couldn't believe what I saw.

While some are trying to go faster by buying new boards, wizz bang fins, and such, good surfers can ride anything on almost any wave. They work with the wave not against it. He has wave knowledge ( and vision ) that only is earned through time and experience ( not dollars ). Hand that guy a Costco Wavestorm sponge board, and I bet he could have done the exact same thing.

But try see if it IS his board. Ask him to swap boards for a wave or two and see if you can make sections with his board versus yours more easily.